July 22, 2014“Physician Workforce in Nevada – 2014 Edition” report released by University of Nevada School of Medicine

Highlights Nevada’s success in retaining physicians educated here

RENO/LAS VEGAS - The University of Nevada School of Medicine released a new report, "Physician Workforce in Nevada – 2014 Edition," contains current, historical and comparative data on the Allopathic (M.D.) and Osteopathic (D.O.) physician workforce in Nevada. The focus of this report is to improve health workforce planning and policy development in Nevada through the preparation and dissemination of the most current information on the physician workforce.

"This report provides the most current and comprehensive data on the physician workforce in Nevada utilizing the best available information from the American Medical Association and the American Association of Medical Colleges," said lead author John Packham, Ph.D., director, Health Policy Research at the School of Medicine. "We have attempted to highlight progress made over the past couple of decades, current challenges, and how Nevada compares with other states in the region."

The major professional activity categories, self-designated specialty areas and geographic regions are those used by the American Medical Association (AMA). In this report, states in the AMA "Mountain Region" include Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Other tables reference "Nevada and Neighboring States," which include the five states bordering Nevada: Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon, and Utah.

Some general trends worth observing include:

Since 1992, the overall number of physicians and the number of physicians in Nevada has increased in almost every self-designated specialty area. However, over the past two decades, change in the number of M.D.s per capita has been comparatively modest. In other words, while the number and types of physicians have increased over the last couple of decades in Nevada, we've been "treading water" in per capita terms.

Nevada compares favorably with other states in the retention of physicians who complete their undergraduate and graduate medical education in Nevada. However, Nevada ranks poorly among U.S. states in terms of the overall number of physicians in residency and fellowship programs (46th) and the number of physicians in primary care graduate medical education programs, such as family medicine and pediatrics (47th).

Major findings from the 2014 report include:

Over the past three decades, the number of M.D.s in Nevada has grown from 1,171 in 1980 to 6,153 in 2012 (425.4%). Likewise, the number of M.D.s per 100,000 population in Nevada has grown from 147 to 223 (51.7%). However, Nevada's physician-to-population rank among U.S. states dropped from 36th to 47th during the same time period.

Currently, there are 6,153 M.D.s in Nevada or 224.0 M.D.s per 100,000 population. By comparison, the per capita number of M.D.s in the United States is 327.0 per 100,000 population. To meet or exceed the national per capita rate, Nevada would need a minimum of 2,829 additional M.D.s. In other words, the supply of M.D.s in Nevada would need to increase by 46.0% to reach the national rate.

Of 39 self-designated medical specialties, 38 specialty areas possess a lower number of M.D.s per capita in Nevada compared to the United States. For example, there are 179 M.D.s in psychiatry in Nevada or 6.5 psychiatric M.D.s per 100,000 population. The per capita number of psychiatric M.D.s in the United States is 12.7 per 100,000 population.

Among U.S. states, Nevada ranks 9th in the percentage of physicians who are practicing in the same state within which they completed their residency training. In 2012, there were a total of 1,026 active physicians (M.D. and D.O.) in the U.S. who completed their residency training in Nevada - of this total, 573 or 55.8% are currently practicing in Nevada.

In 2012, there were a total of 211 active physicians (M.D. and D.O.) in the U.S. who completed both their medical education and residency training in Nevada - of this total, 167 or 79.1% are currently practicing in Nevada. Among U.S. states, Nevada ranks 5th in the percentage of physicians who are practicing in the same state within which they completed both their medical education and residency training.

The report was written by Packham, Tabor Griswold, Ph.D., Laima Etchegoyhen, MPH and Christopher Marchand, MPH, all with the School of Medicine's Office of Statewide Initiatives.

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